There’s something about the golden hues of autumn – the crunch underfoot, the crisp air, the clarity of light at sunrise and sunset – that invites both reflection and momentum. It’s a season that urges you to take stock and push forward. As the days shorten, perhaps the real challenge is not to slow down, but to sharpen your focus. What’s one thing you can do now to set up the next season for success?
Business of Endurance Podcast
For this episode, I had the privilege of speaking with a true legend of the trail: Ryan Sandes. His story reads like an epic – his first marathon entered on a whim with three weeks’ notice, followed by victories in the world’s most punishing ultra races, including the Gobi March and the Western States 100. But beneath the accolades is a man who’s committed not to medals, but to meaning.
We talk about what happens when you let joy – not ego – guide your performance, why micro-wins matter more than you think, and how curiosity can be the ultimate endurance tool. Whether you’re chasing a finish line or building a business, there’s something profoundly grounding in Ryan’s approach to setbacks, pressure, and finding your own “why.” Listen to the full episode here.
What I’ve Been Reading
If you’re after a book that condenses a lifetime of thinking into bite-sized, implementable ideas – this is it. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant doesn’t follow a traditional narrative structure. It’s more like sitting down with Naval over coffee, collecting his sharpest, most honest takes on wealth, decision-making, happiness, and personal freedom.
It’s the kind of book that doesn’t need to be read cover to cover – you’ll find yourself dipping into it whenever you need clarity. Naval challenges conventional thinking, especially around success and self-worth. Expect to come away with clearer thinking, smarter questions, and a few uncomfortable truths about where you’re spending your time and energy.
TED Talk I’ve Found Interesting
We often celebrate the hustle – early starts, late nights, no days off. But what’s the true cost of that grind? In this thought-provoking TED Talk, Anisha Abraham unpacks the quiet toll of glorifying overwork: burnout, anxiety, broken relationships, and a creeping sense that life is passing by while we chase endless productivity.
Her message isn’t anti-ambition – it’s pro-awareness. There’s a difference between working hard and being consumed by work. Abraham makes a compelling case for redefining success not by output alone, but by wellbeing, connection, and presence. For anyone trying to do more without losing themselves in the process, this is well worth a watch.
What I’ve Been Watching
Back for another season, this docuseries pulls back the curtain on the pain, politics, and poetry of the Tour de France. Tour de France: Unchained is everything you expect from elite sport – rivalries, crashes, heroic comebacks – but it’s also about humanity.
One of the standout stories this time around is Remco Evenepoel’s remarkable transition from being the U21 captain for Belgium’s national football team to dominating one of the world’s hardest endurance events. From football pitch to mountain pass, his journey proves that it’s not your origin that defines you – it’s your adaptability. It’s a masterclass in mindset, and a lesson in knowing when to pivot and when to push.
Quotes Of The Week From Naval Ravikant
“Desire is a contract you make with yourself to be unhappy until you get what you want.”
“The most important skill for getting rich is becoming a perpetual learner.”
“A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought – they must be earned.”
Tech I’ve Found Useful
If you’re still offering lead magnets in the form of PDFs, it might be time to step up. Outgrow allows you to create quizzes, calculators, and interactive forms that aren’t just fun – they’re genuinely useful. Whether it’s a fitness goal calculator or a business audit quiz, people love tools that help them learn about themselves.
It’s a great way to personalise your marketing, generate high-converting leads, and gather deeper insights into your audience. In a world of static content, Outgrow helps you build something people want to play with – and share.
The Trusted Team
Over the past few years, I’ve been lucky enough to interview more than 150 of the world’s greatest endurance athletes, coaches, and explorers on the podcast. But it wasn’t just about sport. The more conversations I had, the more I saw the overlap between racing through deserts and navigating the grind of growing a business.
So, I wrote The Business of Endurance – a distillation of the lessons that emerged over time: grit, recovery, mindset, focus, strategy, failure. From Olympic champions like Alistair Brownlee to mountain legends like Nicky Spinks and mental masters like Mark Allen, these stories highlight the small shifts that lead to giant leaps.
This book is for anyone navigating pressure and chasing potential. For those wondering not just how to go further, but how to last. If that sounds like you – or someone you care about – it’s waiting for you.
As the colours deepen and the air cools, autumn reminds us that endings are also beginnings. It’s a time for planting – of ideas, habits, challenges – that will take root over winter and bloom in the seasons to come. So, lean into the stillness, savour the sunrises, and remember slowing down doesn’t mean stopping. It just means you’re getting ready for what’s next.
